Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016 signed by President Obama

The bill, known as
the Outdoor REC Act, passed the House of Representatives and the Senate in
November

This new piece of legislation requires the Department of
Commerce, in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and the Department
of Agriculture, to assess and analyze the contributions of the outdoor
recreation industry, including recreational fishing, to the United States
economy. The legislation will help to ensure that sportfishing industry jobs
and recreational fishing’s economic impact are accounted for as part of the
gross domestic product (GDP).

“At a time when jobs and economic opportunity are high on
everyone’s list, the Outdoor REC bill’s passage gives the outdoor recreation
industry its own metric by which to quantify its impact on the nation’s
economic activity,” said American Sportfishing Association (ASA) President and
CEO Mike Nussman. “We have advocated for years that recreational fishing and
boating were significant economic drivers. It’s gratifying that the House and
the Senate, in a bi-partisan effort, passed this bill which the President has
now signed it into law.”

Nussman continued, “It’s important to note that in many
rural areas, where jobs are at a premium, it’s fishing, boating and other
outdoor activities that provide steady employment for many people.”

The passage of the Outdoor REC Act was needed to make sure
that the outdoor economy—and it’s estimated six million jobs and $646 billion
in economic activity—receives official government recognition for years to
come.

“ASA applauds Congress and the President for enacting this
legislation, bringing the outdoor recreation industry’s importance to jobs and
the economy into the national spotlight,” said ASA Government Affairs Vice
President Scott Gudes. “We appreciate that outdoor recreation is now formally
being recognized by the federal government for its impact on jobs, business and
the economy.”

Gudes further said, “The Outdoor REC Act will also ensure
that the outdoor industry's economic statistics will be measured in the same
comprehensive way as other business sectors, such as the automotive and apparel
industries. This is important because industry economic impact estimates also
include data that show the non-direct impact that the activity has on the
economy. For example, it would also include sportfishing’s contributions to
travel and tourism, not just the purchase of tackle.”

ASA is an active part of a team representing a wide-range of
outdoor industries that will work with the Department of Commerce to shape how
outdoor recreation is defined and ensure our reach and impact are recognized.

In his post-campaign remarks, President-elect Trump has
voiced his support for maintaining fishing and hunting on our nation’s public
lands.